Front-seat construction for automobiles



Jan. 3, 1928.

H. R. GRAHAM IFRONT SEAT CONSTRUCTION FOR AUTOMOBILS Filed Auz. 28. 1926 ?m nd Jat a, 1928.

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i\ Application med husnu 28; 1988.. Io. 132301.

My invention' relates to a front seat Con- `struction for automobiles of the type n which a pair of front seats, hinge'd forfold v ing movement against the dash of'the car',

6 are prof'ided 'and it is myobject to provide a front seat which, together with the rear seat, is convertible into a bed for'sleepin More particularly it is my object to pravi e a seat construction in which the back ofthe 40 front seat is -adapted to be hinged rear-' uwardly toa horizontal position to brdge a'bed: The 'front and rear seat cushiqns',

the gap between the frontseat and -ear seat.

Another object is to provide a, hnge construction for the front seat back, allowng1 Ni said back 'to assume a firstposition folde i against the front seat cushion, a second position projecting upwardly .to serve as a back-rest and a third position projecting rearwardly and horizontally to serve as a be'd, said hinge constructon including means for looking the back when'in its normalupright position, against collapsing rearward-' ly, said 'hingeallowing such rearward col lapsing when theback has been moved for wardly to aeertain pre-determin'ed position. A stillfurther .object is to provide such a hinge Construction which is spring urged toward looking engagement to maintain the back in itsnormal upright position. V

With these and other" objects in view, my

invention consists in the. arrangement and combination'of the variois parts of my device, whereby theobjects contemplated are atta'ined, ashereinafter more fully set forth, pinted out in my claims, and illustrated, in t e accompanyingdrawin'gs,'in which:

F ig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through the floor of a vehicle embodying my inventions t through the hnge,-the upper 'portion .there'- of beng'shownin dotted lines in the position it as sumes preparatory to collapsing the back of the front seat rearwardly.

Fig. 3 is a similar sectional viewillustrating the parts in the: position which is assumed when the back is in its rearwardly projecting horizontal position.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspectivesectional view illustratng the back restin operative posltion.

Fig. 5 is a detail elevation of a portion of the rearof the front`seat illustratin the means for adjusting the height thereo One of the most satisfactor methods of providing a bed in an `automo ile is Vthatof' Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail sectional v'ew` utilizing the back of the front seat to bridge the ga between the front and rear seats.

,The a` vantagesof thus 'forming'a' bed are several, The cushioned partsof the front andback seats', including the front s'eatback,

vide an .auxliary bed'spring or mttress'. The on y additional' equipment. which need be carrid te -form the bed' is the'bed 'cover- V are all utilized andit'i s unnecessaryzto pro- 4 in problems 'are met inthus forming their nor'mal positions,- are 'inc'lined downwardly and rearwardly. Abed formed with 7 the cushions in such position would be uncomfortable 2for the sleep ers The back of b possble'to-lock the 'back so that while riding over rough roads it will not Collapse to ts rear-ward .position. My Iinvention solves these problems in a very simple ;man-

ner which willadd very little to the cost of' manufacture of a vehicle; v r

In Fig. -1 I have used the reference char- 'acter 10 to indicate enerally the floor of a. vehicle of the type in which two separate front seats are employed; :The front seat comprises 'a wooden frame 11 to which is Secured' theacushon 12. "The, frame 11' is.

pivoted by means of hinges 13to the floor;

In order, to raise. the front sea-t frame 11.' The shanks 16 extend through openings which are not shown the frame 11.` Locknuts 18 serve to prevent undesi-ed rot'ation of .the legs.

VVhenit is, desired to raise the front seat the locknuts are loosened sHghtly, the legs ;nuts are again tightened.

The rear seat cushion 19 is shown in section inFig. '1. It has a frame 20 provided 15 are rotated to extend them and the lockwith openings to receive pe' 21 Secured in the' seat bed 22. gs

I't will be understand that ordinarily 'the rear cushion is supported with 'its frame -in an inclined position and is further inclined in its upper surface by -virtue of bein Wedge-shaped, being thicker at its forwar extremityjthan' in the rear. I therefore provide the rar crossmemberi 23 (Fig.'4). of

threaded through braokets' 17 Secured tothe 'I the frame 20, with openings 24 'receive the pegs 21 whenithe cushion has been reversed,

` lines a't 25 in Fig. 1.

v The back 26 of the front metallic frame including side arms 27 ter mnatng in hinge portions. Instead of the usual simple hinge I provide 'a hinge bracket 28 havingat 'its upper end the spaced ears '29 t'o 'receive thejends of'the-arms 27. A stud 30 extends between' the e`ars 29 and is normally' received in a round opening3l in rearwardly of the' opening to engage a shoulrearwardly of' this position I* provide an etet' as opening- 31 and 'connected thereto within the opening "31 and theheel 32- will der 33 formed between the cars 29 in the bracket 28. :The engagement of the heel 32. with the shoulder 33 limits the movement f the back 26 to the positions shown in Figs. 1 an'd`2.

Inorder to allow movementrof the back auxiliary opening 34 of the same* diamb a slot 35. The stud 30 is flattened as sii own in Fig. 2 and is rigidly secured in the' cars 29 at theangle shown. The slot35, 'when the frame 27 is ,in its normal position shown in Fig. 2 extends 'rearwardly and ,downwardl .at an angle to the faces of. the' stud 30.* onsequent y when the frame isf in this position the stud 30 will be locked be maintained in aposition to en'gage the shoulder 33 so las to lock the back 26 against colla sing reanwardly; I provide a. pin 36, sl'ida i? mounted in a tubula'r chamber 37 forme in" the 'bracket 26 and urged Upward- 'ly into engagement with the end of 'the 'arm 27 by means 'of 'a coi-l spring 38; e

Thepin 36 is retained against removal .from the chambe" 37 by a in39 received in a slot .40-'in1the in *36 an Secured in the side walls of the c ambel' 37. The lower 'end of'the" arm 27, where the& pin 36 engageslit is curved as at 41 oni an' arc concentric wthv the opening 31., e

I 4 engagement of-the. in 36Jnormal1y: maintains the stud 30 wit in' the opening 31 'dur'- v ing the' forward hinging O-thebmk 26 when the frontseat isfolded forwa'rdly against" the dash of'' the "v'ehicle Thus When the back is moved fromits forward folded posi-2 tio'n. to ;its normal upright 4 sitionv it will be seen that* the heel 32 wil .be in 'itio'n to -.engage the shoulder 33 andto. lmitFthe snotement of the back rearwardly When itvisdesired t .mov`e` the back'to itsrearwa'dly reclining position the frme is mov 'to the 'ton shown in dotted l 'es i ig. -2- t the seat has the usual vis only necessary to grasp' itandexert preso jmechanical aonably incl with the faces of the stud 30 and, grasping the frame firmly with both hands, one at the-lowerend of either arm. 27, the operator pushesforwardly against the action of the- .33. It will also be seen that when; the ,back the arm '27. The opening 31 is' -formed near the forward edge `'of the arm and a heel portion 32 extends a substantial distance` `26 is again lift'ed to its, upright position .and moved forwardly to brng'the slot 35' in v alignment with the faces of the stud. 30, that the .pres sure of'the in 36` will cause. the arms 27 to automatical snap rear'wardly totheirnormal positions relative Sto' the, stud30. V' i Beforelowering the back to its horizontal position, the bracket' shown in .Fig. 4' normally' contained beneath-the rearseat, as 0 shown in Fig. 1, is moved to 'the dotted 'line position shown in Fig;1. 'The bracket comprises a .U shaped portion 4:2, th`earms' of which are bent rearwardly, as at 43, and u thence downwardly as at44 '(referring to the member 221 The U shaped portion 42`serves' I to'receive the back 26 as shown in Fig, 1 The members 23 -of the rear seat frame 20 are provided with notches`46-to receive the arms 43 of the hin'ge'd bracket. This allows'th seat to engage ;thebed snuglby .105 *eenf The advantages of myinvention have suggested and it maybe added that ;in order. to move' theback toits several positio'ns,--it'- su'rethereagainst in the' 'proper direction. There is no necessity forunloose'ing any bolts or removing any parts. In practical use of the bed, it may -'be" found glesirableg- -toj simply block up' the ;tear` legs `15 by a short length 'of joistor the like rather than extending them by unthr ading them from theinbracketaj i u Some changsmaybe made in the construction and ia'rangementof the' parts of my' inventi'bn without departing -from the .real -spiri t. and 'purposeof ;my invention.

and it is my intention to cover by my' claims,

anymodifiediforms of structure or use of. i

`uivalent`s, which may iied within their scope.

be rea 'Iela'im as' my inventionz.

1.'In a" front Iseat for vehicles, apair of bracketsjsecured to the frame, pvot studs supported b said brackets, said hracket 'havingshoul located .t one de of ue the respective stids,

to' the 'other opening when the back is in a arm to urge it towar gage its bracket shoulder when t rearwardly position forward of its normal upri ht position,`each arm having a heel ada te to ene ,stud is in one of the openings of a pair of openings in order to lock the back againstmovement of its normal .upright position' and 'to swing clear of the shoulder when the stud is'in the other opening of the arespective pair.

2. In a front seat frame for vehicles,'a pair of brackets Secured to the frame, pivot studs supported by said brackets, said brackets having shoulders located at one side of the respective studs, a' back frame having arms' each rovided at its end with a pair of space ings being connected by a slot, a stud being received in an opening of ,each pair and being flattened to to the other opening when the back is in a position forward of its normal upright position, each arm havin a heel adapted to engage its bracket shou der when the stud is in one of the openings of a pair of openings in order to lock the back against movement rearwardly of its normal upright position, and to Swing clear of the shoulder when the stud is in the other opening of the respective pair, and resilient means adapted to urge the arms and brackets toward relative positions in which the back will be locked against rearward movement.

3. In afront seat construction for ve'- hicles, a front seat frame,`9: pair of brackets secured to the frame, said brackets having hinge e1ements,`studs .carried by said hinge elements, the brackets havin shoulders located at one side of the stu s, and having tubular chambers, a back frame having arms provided each at its end with apair of spaced circular openings, eachpair of open-- ings beingconnected by a slot, a stud being received n one opening of a pair and being flattened so as to pass through the slot to the other opening of the respective pai` when the back is in a position-forward of' its normal upright position, and a spring urged pin slidab y mounted in each of said chambers andengagin the lower end of an position wherein the stud is received in one opening of a pair,

`each arm having a heel adapted to engage its bracket shoulder when the stud is in one of the openings of a pair of openings in connected by a slot, a stud" circularopenings, each pair ofjopen-l pass through the slot' order to lock the back against movement rearwardly of its normal upri ht' position a'nd to Swingl clear of the shoul er when the stud is in t e other. opening of the respective pair.

4. In a front seat construction for automobiles, a front seat rame, a pair of brackets Secured to the frame, to form a pair of hinge elements, a seat back frame having arms forming a' air of coacting hinge elements, one of said pair of hinge elements having shoulders, stuls carried by said last mentiorred pair of hinge elements the shoulders, being located at one side of the studs, the'hinge elements of the other pair each having a par of spaced ci'rcular openings connected by a slot,. and havinga heel,a stud beingreceived in one opening of a pair 'of openings and being flattened to pass through 'the slot to the other opening when the back is in a position forward of its normal upright position, engage its corresponding shoulder when the stud is in one of the openings of a pair of openings in order to lock the'back aga nst movement rearwardly of its normal upright position and to Swing clear of the shoulder when the stud is in the other opening of the respective pair. v

5. In a front seat construction for automobiles, a front seat frame, a pair of brackets securedto the frame, to form a air of hinge elements, a seat back frame aving arms forming a pair of coacting hinge elements, one of said pair of hin e elements having shoulders, studs carried %y said last mentioned pair of hinge elements the shoulders being ocated at one side of the studs, the hinge elements of the other pair each having a pair of spaced circular openings connected by a slot, and having a heel, a' stud being received in one opening of a `pair of openings, and being' flattened to pass through the slot to the other openingwhen the back is in aposition forward of its nor mal upright position, ed to engage its corresponding shoulder when the stud is in one of the opc s of a pair of openings in order to loc the ack against movement rearwardly of its normal upright position and toswin clear of the shoulder when 'the stud is -in 't e other o ning of the respective pair, and' res' ent means ada ted to urge the arms and brackets towar relative positions in which the back will be locked against rearward moveeach heel 'being adapted to each heel being adapt- 

